Summer League showdown yields disastrous early draft result for Golden State Warriors

Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets not only provided the Golden State Warriors with another look at first-round pick Brandin Podziemski, but they also got a first-hand glance at the player they overlooked — Cam Whitmore.

The 19-year-old forward was seen as a consensus top 10 pick heading into last month’s NBA Draft, only to slide dramatically down the board and to the Warriors’ 19th overall pick. Golden State opted to take Podziemski with their selection, allowing the Rockets to pounce on Whitmore at pick 20.

Cam Whitmore has blew away the Golden State Warriors in a blistering display, inviting more question marks on the franchise’s decision to take Brandin Podziemski.

Many Warrior fans were left frustrated by the front office’s choice to bypass Whitmore, and that’s only been exacerbated by his exhilarating form during Summer League. Podziemski, meanwhile, has shown some promising signs particularly as a playmaker, but has failed to match the impact of the player taken one spot behind him.

Their contrasting form was encapsulated in the Rockets’ dominant 18-point win over the Warriors. Podziemski was solid without being spectacular, while Whitmore was exactly that in a thrilling 26-point, five-rebound, eight-steal performance.

It’s only early and Summer League performances should be taken with a grain of salt, but that’s perhaps even more of a concern given Whitmore was seen as the longer-term, project-type prospect.

Golden State may have been shy in selecting Whitmore given his overlapping skillset with current forward Jonathan Kuminga. The franchise has put a plethora of work into the former seventh overall pick, and trying to develop both players into a similar role could have been a task too hard for a franchise with championship aspirations.

In Podziemski they’ve taken the more Warrior-style player, with his feel for the game and court vision a clear standout during Summer League. The 20-year-old had 10 points, two rebounds and six assists in the 118-101 defeat on Thursday.

Whitmore has averaged 19.3 points and six rebounds in his four Summer League appearances, with Podziemski posting 8.5 points, seven rebounds and 6.3 assists per game during the same Las Vegas stint.